Stamp-affixing machine.



No. 809,569. PATBNTED JAN. 9, 1906.

- 0. w. JOHNSON.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 11120.20, 1904.

3 SHEET8SHEBT 1.

Elwoowtoz No. 809,569. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. 0. W. JOHNSON.

STAMP APFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.20.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3 -lnuzulfoz No. 809,569. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

0. W. JOHNSON. STAMP AFFIXING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 20. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

slruzutoz atbomwgs 46 I UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE. I

STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed December 20, 1904. Serial No. 237.676-

.T 0 (til whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER W. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Affixing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists of a machine designed for stamping envelops or similar mail-matter, the object of the invention being to provide a device of this class which may be manufactured so cheaply as to be within reach of the average'ofiice-man in preparing mail-matter in almost any quantity for mailing.

The machine is simply constructed and is hand-operated, comprising in its general Organization a suitable holder for the stamps, cutting mechanism for severing the individual stamps from the usual sheet, in which form they are vended, feeding mechanism for feeding the strips of stamps from the holder to the cutting mechanism, and means for moistening the package which is to be stamped previous to the cutting and application of the stamp thereto.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereofand also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to diflerent forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still some of the preferred embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a stamping-machine embodying the essential features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine, the end portion of the base or body thereof being broken away to bring out more clearly the interior arrangement of the parts. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 1, the cutter-bar being shown in a position assumed thereby, as an individual stamp is cut or separated from the sheet of stamps. Fig. 5

is a partial vertical sectional view taken about on the line X X of Fig. 2, showing the specific construction of the moistening device and the means for moistening the same.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, parts broken away, showing more clearly the relative arrangement of the cutting devices carried by the cutterbar and the bed of the machine. Fig. 7 is an end portion of the carriage. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the bracket member cooperating to support the lockpawl. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the guide member of the carriage-actuating bar,

which guide member supports the lock-pawl.

Fig. 10 is a broken sectional view of a modification.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

By the-use of a machine embodying the invention, as hereinafter more clearly set forth, no small amount of time is saved in stamping a quantity of mail-matter preparatory to mailing the same, and the invention possesses other obvious advantages over the most generally-used method of moistening each stamp with a sponge and individually pressing it upon the piece of mail by hand.

In carrying out the invention the machine comprises, primarily, a suitable supporting base or bed 1, which may be provided with supporting-feet 2, and this base carries the mechanisms which are comprehended in a machine forming the invention. The bed 1 is preferably of metal in order to lend substantiality to .the structure, and adjacent one side of the bed 1 and extending longitudinally thereof is mounted a carriage 3, having secured thereto a Suitable holder 4, which holder consists, preferably, of a curved plate attached to the carriage and adapted to receive therein a sheet of one hundred stamps,

such as is ordinarily vended by the postal authorities. It will be understood that with different-sized machines, however, the parts may be constructed so that greater or less quantities of Stamps may be carried by the carriage 3, as desired. The bed 1 is provided with guides 5, upon which the carriage 8 travels, said carriage being also provided upon its under side with suitable guides 6, co operating with the guides 5 of the bed 1 in directing the movement of the carriage as the same is operated in feeding the stamps to the cutting mechanism. The carriage 3 is prevented from displacement from the bed 1 primarily by means of a stop 7, which is secured to a side of the base of the machine by any suitable fastening means, and this stop has a projection 8, which engages the upper portion of the carriage 3 under normal con ditions, admitting of free movement of the carriage longitudinally of the bed 1. A lug 9 projects rearward from the carriage 3 at one. end, and said lug is adapted to come into contact with the projection 8 of the stop 7 when the carriage 3 has reached the limit of its feeding movement after the longitudinal strip of a sheet of stamps has been separated from the sheet by cutting off the individual stamps of said strip.

The sheet of stamps received in the holder 4 is fed therefrom by means of feeding-rollers 10, which are j ournaled in ournal members 11, which extend upwardly from the carriage 8 at opposite extremities thereof, the journal members 11 being vertically slotted, as shown at 12, to receive the ournals of the rollers 10 aforesaid. Two of the rollers 10 are used, and said rollers are in contact with each other and arranged one above the other. The uppermost of the rollers 10 has one of the journals thereof extended beyond the journal member 11 adjacent and provided with a handle 13, which the operator may grasp in order to rotate the rollers 10 and feed the sheet of stamps so that the longitudinal strip thereof will be arranged in such a position that it may be readily operated upon by the cutting mechanism in order to sever the individual stamps therefrom. When the sheet of stamps is fed through the rollers 10, certain of the stamps are thereby disposed above a cutting-plate 14, suitably attached upon the upper side of the bed 1 by a screw or similar member 15. The member 15 passes through a slot in the plate 14 in order that said plate may be adjusted. The cutting-plate 14 constitutes one of the cutting devices of the cutting mechanism, and said plate is of approximately L form, as shown in Fig. 2, having two cutting edges 14 and 14 extending at approximately a right angle to each other. The cutting-plate 14 is so arranged upon the bed 1 as to elevate that portion thereof adjacent the point at which the cutting edges 14 and 14 meet, and the purpose of the above will be pointed out more clearly hereinafter. The sheet of stamps is adapted to be fed through the rollers 10, so that the longitudinal series of perforations in the sheet will be in line with the cutting edge 14 of the plate 14, while the ad jacent lateral series of perforations which separate a single ,stamp from its adjacent stamp will be disposed above the transverse cutting edge 14 of the plate 14. The cutting-plate 14 is spaced from the bed 1, being attached to an upwardly-projecting portion 16 upon the bed, and cooperating with the plate 14 is a cutter 17, which is carried by a cutter-bar 18. The cutter-bar 18 comprises the upper arm of a bell-crank lever 19, pivotally mounted upon the bed 1, as shown at 20. The cutter 17 also consists of a plate having two cutting edges 17 and 17*, which are adapted to cooperate with the cutting edges 14 and 14 of the plate 14, above described. The bar 18 is adapted for pivotal movement, and the cutting edges of the cutter 17, carried thereby, have a shearing action with reference to the cooperating cutting edges of the plate 14 in severing a stamp from the sheet of stamps. In other words, the point at which the cutting edges of the plate 17 meet is the point where the said cutter 17 first cooperates with the cutting edges of the cutting-plate 14. The cutting edges 17 and 17 have a shearing action with respect to the edges 1.4 and 14 from the angle at which the edges 14 and 14 meet, this being due to the mounting of the plate 14, whereby the cutting edge 14 inclines downwardly from the angle at which it meets the edge 14**. The shearing action of the cutting edge 17 with respect to the cutting-edge 14 is secured by the inclination of the cutter 17 with respect to the edge 14 as the said out ter 17 lowers for cooperation with the plate 14. The cutter 17 not only cooperates with the cutting device, but this member after cutting a stamp from a sheet of stamps carries this stamp downwardly to the bed 1 of the machine and presses the stamp upon the envelop or similar piece of mail which may be previously disposed upon said bed 1. The cutter-bar 18 is actuated by a hand-lever 21, which is pivoted at one end to a lug 22, projected from the under side of the bed 1, and this lever 21 extends from one end of the base of the machine and is provided with a suitable handle 23 to admit of operationthereof. A link 24 is connected at its lower end to the lever 21 and at its upper end to the cutterbar 18, so that downward movement of the lever 21 will effect a similar movement of the member 18, so as to operate the cutter 17.

The moistening device utilized consists of a plate 25, mounted for reciprocal movement beneath the cutting-plate 14 and supported by guides 26 upon the bed 1. The under side of theplate 25 is recessed longitudinally, as indicated at 27 in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and moistening material 28 is suitably secured in the recessed portion 27 of the plate 25. The moistening material 28 may be of wick stuff or similar absorbent material, and the same is attached to the plate 25 by means of a clamp device 29, consisting of a plate attached to the member 25 by means of a screw or fastening 30 and adapted to clamp or screw the end portions of the material 28 against the part 25 infirmly securing this material in place. The moistening device is moistened, preferably, by means of a roller 31, mounted beneath the plate 25 and partially submerged in a tank 32, which is attachedto the under side of the bed 1 of the machine. The tank 32 holds a quantity of water, which may be supplied thereto through a suitable opening 33 in the bed 1, and secured to the tank 32 is a spring 34,

which carries the roller 31 at one end thereof,

the opposite end of said spring 34 being attached to the body 1. The spring 34 normally holds the roller 31 in contact with the moistening material 28 of the moistener, and as this roller is preferably made of wood or like substance it will readily impart moisture to the material 28 as the plate 25 is reciprocated above the roller 31 in the operation of the machine. The moistener is designed to be actuated so that the material 28 will come into contact with that portion of the envelop or piece of mail to which the stamp is to be applied, and thereby moisten a spot of an area approximately the size of the stamp preparatory to the application of the stamp to the mail-matter as the cutter 17 carries said stamp to the bed 1 after severing the same.

The bed 1. of the machine is provided with an opening through which the roller 31 is adapted to pass in order to come into contact with the moistener, and the bed 1 is also longitudinally slotted, as shown at 35. A lug 36 projects downwardly from the plate 25 of the moistener through the slot'35 of the bed 1, and this lug is operably connected with the cutting mechanism, so that the moistener will be operated simultaneously with said mechanism. A link 37 connects the lug 36 with a lower arm 38 of the bell-crank lever 20, so-that as the cutter-bar 18 is actuated downwardly by operation of the handle 23 the arm 38 will of course be forced rear' wardly, which movement, due to the connection 37, will cause the moistener to be actuated rearwardly also, so as to be out of the path of movement of the cutter, 17 as the latter carries the stamp down to the bed 1.

As the cutting mechanism and moistening means is operated the carriage 3 is automatically actuated, so as to bring the individual stamps of the longitudinal strip of the sheet into positions in which they may be operated upon by the cutting mechanism. The connections whereby the above is accomplished consists of a carriage-actuating bar 40, pivoted to the arm 38 at a point between its ends, as indicated at 41. The bar 40 extends from the point of pivotal connection 41 outwardly through the base or bed 1, so as to form a handle 42. The handle 42 is at one end of the bar 40, the opposite end of said bar being provided with an engaging memher or extension 43, which cooperates with the carriage to feed the same along the bed 1 as the stamps are being cut from the sheet of stamps in the holder4'. The actuating-bar 40 is adapted to engage with a plurality of lugs or teeth 44, disposed at intervals in the length of the carriage 3 and upon the under side of this member. The lugs 44 are spaced a distance equal to the length of each stamp and since the machine as herein described is for use with sheets of one hundred stamps ten of these lugs 44 would be provided with a carriage. The member 43 of the actuating-bar 40 is normally held in engagement with the carriage 3 by means of a coil-spring 45, connected at one end with a lug 46 projecting downwardly from the bed 1, and at its opposite end with the actuating-b ar 40 adjacent the point of pivotal support thereof. Since the bar 40 is connected with the lever 20, the normal tendency of the spring 45 is to hold the cutterbar 18 at the limit of its upward movement as well as the parts connected therewith. The normal position of the moistener likewise will be beneath the cutter-plate 14, because of the cooperation of the spring 45 in the arrangement described. As the cutter-bar 18 moves downwardly the actuating-bar 40 moves rearwardly to engage another of the lugs 44, so that as soon as the cutter 17 rises the carriage 3 will be moved so as to dispose another stamp in position beneath the cutter 17 preparatory to further downward movement of this part. Thus when the bar 18 moves upwardly the carriage is reciprocated a distance equal to the length of a single stamp, and in order to limit the movement 5 of the carriage in this operation a lock-pawl 46 is used, said pawl being pivoted at 47 to a guide member 48, securedto the bed of the machine. The form of the guide member 48 is shown most clearly in Fig. 9 of the drawings, and it Will be noted that said member is provided with an approximately square end portion 48 clamped to the bed 1 by a bracket-plate 49, secured to said bed by a fastening 50. The guide member 48 is provided with a laterally-projecting web 48 and a projection 51, integral with the actuatingbar 40 and extending therefrom adjacent the engaging member 43, operates above the Web or 1 lange'48 longitudinally thereof. The end portion of the actuating-bar 40 adjacent the lock-pawl 46 is movable toward and from this memberyand said bar 40 when it is at the limit of its movement toward the pawl 46 engages the latter, so that movement of the pawl is prevented, and a lug 44, which may be received between the pawl 46 and the engaging member 43 of the bar 40, will be so positioned between these parts as to positively lock the carriage 3 from movement. When the engaging member 43 .moves away from the pawl 46, however, said pawl is free for a certain amount of pivotal movement, so that as the member 43 engages the next adjacent lug 44 and forces the carriage reciprocally in its progressive movement the lug 44, which has just been disengaged from the member 43, will be forced past the pawl 46, which will operate upon its pivot to allow the above movement. The

bracket member 49 consists of a vertical web having lateral flanges 49' and 49 at its upper and lower edge portions, respectively. The upper flange 49 is secured to the bed 1, whereas the lower flange 4Q is spaced there from, so as to support the square end portion 48 of the guide member 48. An adjustingscrew 52 is provided at its upper end with a finger-piece and is passed through the base 1 at one end thereof. The inner end of the screw 52 operates against the square end portion of the guide member 48 and is designed to adjust the same longitudinally in order that the carriage 3 may be positioned accurately by the lock-pawl 46, carried by the guide member 48, so that the lateral lines of perforations between the adjacent stamps of the sheet of stamps in the holder 4 will be brought exactly over the transverse or laterally-arranged cutting edges 14 and 17 of the cutters 14 and 17, respectively.

The feeding-rollers 10 of the carriage 3 are preferably held in spring-contact with each other by means of a spring member 53, the ends of which engage the journals of the respective rollers .10 in order to accomplish the function above mentioned.

The piece of mail-matter which is to be stamped is adapted to be disposed upon the bed 1 adjacent the end thereof, and the upper surface of this end portion of the bed is provided with a longitudinal flange 54 and a transverse flange 55, against which the edge portions of the envelop or package are adapted to bear, so that said package will be properly positioned when the stamp is brought downward and pressed thereon. The bed 1 is further provided with a protuberant portion 56 transversely thereof and spaced some distance from the flange 55, so that the envelop or package will not rest flat upon the bed 1, but will be spaced therefroi'n slightly. The portion 56 may be a rib or similar part, as found convenient. The position of the envelop is indicated most clearly in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In actual operation, assuming that the holder 4 is supplied with a sheet of stamps say one hundred in number-having the blank marginal portions thereof removed except at the top and the carriage positioned so that one row of ten stamps may be fed through the rollers 10, the operator grasps the handle 13 and by turning the rollers 1.0 a single row of ten stamps is fed, so that the stamp at the end of this row is arranged above the cuttingplate 14. The longitudinal perforations separating a stamp from the sheet will be accurately positioned over the cutting edge 1.4 by the manipulation of the handle 13, and should the lateral row of perforations of this stamp not be accurately disposed above the cutting edge 14 of the plate 14 the ad j ustingscrew 52 is operated so as to adjust the carriage 3 through the medium of the pawl 46 bearing against one of the lugs 44. The above having been accomplished, the whole sheet of one hundred stamps is accurately positioned relative to the cutting mechanism. In normal position the bar 18 is now up and the moistener 25 is beneath the cutting-pl ate 14, and the operator takes an envelop, for instance, in one handand disposes the same upon the bed 1 in such a manner that the corner portion thereof is forced beneath the adjacent end of the moistener and thereby moistened. At the same time the other hand of the operator grasps the handle 23 and depresses the lever 21, causing the cutter 17 to lower and sever the stamp above the plate 14, as before pointed out, the continued lowering movement of the bar 18 carrying the stamp severed downwardly and pressing the same upon the moistened portion of the envelop in position upon the bed. As the bar 18 lowers, the connection 37 forces the moistener 25 rearwardly out of the path of movement of the cutter 17 in a manner readily apparent, and in this movement of the bar 18 the bar 40 is also forced rearwardly and caused to engage with another of the lugs 44 of the carriage 3. Pressure upon the lever 21 being removed, the spring 45 restores the bar 18 to its uppermost position and causes the bar 40 to actuate the carriage 3 a distance equal to the length of a stamp, in which position the carriage is locked preparatory to another downward movement of the lever 21. The pawl 46 is weighted, and after the lug 44 is forced therefrom said pawl is forced to its normal position preparatory to cooperation with the bar 40 to'lock the carriage 3 at the next adjustment. As soon as a row of ten stamps has been cut ofl' the sheet and applied to the mail-matter the operator grasps the handle 42 of the actuating-bar 40 and lifts said handle slightly, so as to disengage the member 43 thereof from the carriage 3,whereupon by a slight depression of the lever 21 at the same time the bar 40 will be disengaged from the pawl 46 and the carriage 3 may then be slid to the opposite limit of its movement as determined by the engaging relation of the stop 7 and the projection 9 thereof. The arrangement of the cutting devices 17 and 14, whereby the stamp is severed gradually from the point at which the transverse and longitudinal lines of perforations separating each stamp from adjacent stamps of the sheet come together, is greatly advantageous, in that the stamp is held in proper position above the envelop until it is entirely severed from the sheet of stamps. It will be noted that the provision of the protuberant portion 56 of the bed 1 will slightly elevate the envelop or package as soon as the cutter 17 moves upwardly therefrom, and when the moistener is forced outwardly by this movement of the cutter 17 said moistener will tilt the envelop upon its edge portion and throw it off of the bed 1, making it unnecessary for the operator to touch the piece of mail-matter after he has placed it in position ready to be stamped.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 10 of the drawin s a transverse plate is secured to the bed 1 of the machine just beneath the cutting-plate 14, and this plate is preferably made of spring metal, so as to normally spring away from the bed. The plate 54 furnishes a firm bearing for the cutter 17 as the same presses the stamp upon the piece of mail-matter, and at the same time the said plate 54 may be advantageously used, in that mail-matter of different thicknesses may be readily stamped, because of the spring-adjusting tendencies thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- I 1. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a support, a cutter-bar pivoted to the support, a cutter carried by said cutter-bar, a crank-arm projected from the cutter-bar, a moistener movable upon the support, a link connection between the moistener and the crank-arm aforesaid, a lever pivoted to the support and operably connected with the cutter-bar, an actuatingbar mounted upon the support and connected with the crankarm aforesaid, and a stamp-holder movably mounted upon the support for actuation'by the actuating-bar aforementioned.

2. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a support, a carriage movably mounted upon the support, a stamp-holder upon said carriage, cutting mechanism including a pivoted cutter-bar, a crank-arm projected from said cutter-bar, a moistener slidably mounted upon the support, a link connecting the moistener with the crank-arm, an operating-lever pivoted to the support and operably connected with the cutter-bar, an actuating-bar slidable upon the support and pivotally connected with the crank-arm aforesaid, an engaging member extended from the actuating-bar, and cooperating with the carriage to advance the same at a step-by-step movement, and means for disengaging the actuating-bar from the carriage.

3. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a support, a movable stamp-holder adapted to receive a sheet of stamps, cutting mechanism, means for feeding the stamps from the holder to expose a longitudinal row of stamps to the action of the cutting mechanism, means for actuating the holder to advance the row of stamps as the same are severed, and means other than the aforesaid actuatin means for adjusting the holder to properly aline transverse perforations separating the stamps with relation to the cutting mechanism.

4. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a support, a carriage movably mounted thereon, cutting mechanism, a stampholder upon. said carriage, an actuating-bar cooperating with the carriage to advance the same, means for normally holding the actuating-bar in cooperation with the carriage, a lock device cooperating with the carriage to position the same at an ascertained adjustment, and means for adjusting the lock device to properly aline transverse perforations separating sheets of stamps with relation to the cutting mechanism.

5. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a support, a carriage reciprocally mounted thereon, cutting mechanism, a stamp-holder upon the carriage and adapted to receive a sheet of stamps to be fed to the cutting mechanism, an actuating-bar engaging the carriage to advance the same, means for operating said actuating-bar, a guide member cooperating with the actuating-bar, a lock device carried by the guide member and coacting with the actuating-bar to position the carriage at an ascertained adjustment, and means for adjusting the guide member aforesaid to thereby adjust the carriage to properly aline transverse perforations separating stamps relative to the cutting mechanism.

6. In a stampingmachine, the combination of a support, a carriage mounted upon the support, a stamp-holder mounted upon the carriage, a cutting-plate carried by the support, a pivotally-moving cutter-bar, a cutter carried by said cutter-bar and cooperating with said cutter-plate, means for feed ing the stamps from the'stamp-holder to the cutting mechanism, an actuating-bar connected with the cutter-bar and engaging the carriage to impart movement thereto, a moistener, and means for disengaging the actuating-bar from the carriage.

7. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a support, a carriage reciprocally mounted thereon, a stamp-holder upon the carriage, an actuating-bar engaging the carriage, means for actuating said bar, means for normally holding said bar in engagement with the carriage, and means for throwing the actuating-bar out of cooperation with the carriage.

8. In a stampingmachine, the combination of a support, a carriage reciprocally mounted thereon, a stamp-holder upon the carriage, an actuating-bar engaging the carriage, means for actuating said bar, means for normally holding said bar in engagement with the carriage, and a lock device cooperating with the actuating-bar aforesaid to position the carriage at an ascertained adjustment.

9. In a stampingmachine, the combination of a support, a carriage reciprocally mounted thereon, a stamp-holder upon .the carriage, an actuating-bar engaging the carriage, means for actuating said bar, means for normally holding said bar in engagement with the carriage, means for throwing the actuating-bar out of cooperation with the carriages and a lock-pawl cooperating with the actuating-bar to position the carriage at an ascertained adjustment.

10. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a support, a carriage mounted thereon, a stamp-holder mounted upon the carriage, a moistener slid ably mounted upon the support, a tank, and a spring-actuated roller partially immersed in the tank and adapted to contact with the under side of the moistener, as specified.

11. In a stamping-machine, the combina by the actuating-bar, the moistener and the cutter-bar are simultaneously operated.

12. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a stamp-holder adapted to receive a sheet of stamps, and cutting mechanism embodying a bed-plate and a cutter cooperating with said plate and having cutting edges ex- 3 5 tending at an angle to each other, the plate and cutter being arranged to eflect cutting action approximately from a point at the angle at which the cutting edges of the cutter meet.

13. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a stamp-holder adapted to receive a sheet of stamps, and cutting mechanism embodying cutting elements, each having cooperating cutting edges extending at an angle 45 to each other, the said elements being arranged to begin cutting from the angle at which the cutting edges of each element meet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 50 in presence of two witnesses.

- OLIVER W. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

H. C. DRESSLER, H. A. WAUGENEN. 

